The present invention relates to an arrangement capable of increasing the luminance and service life of a flat panel display apparatus, i.e., a plasma display panel for obtaining a visible image using a plasma discharge.
EL (Electro Luminescence) panels, LED (Light Emission Diode) array panels, PDPs (Plasma Display Panels), FL (Fluorescent Light) panels, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panels, and the like are popularly used for portable and compact equipment, business equipment, and computers because a portion necessary for display can be made thin.
Of these display panels, a PDP is used for a large-screen TV because its angle of field is large, and no light source is required.
In a PDP, a space between two opposing insulating substrates is filled with discharge gas. A voltage is applied between the substrates to generate a plasma discharge and generate UV rays. A phosphor is made to emit light using the UV rays, thereby obtaining a visible image.
Normally, as the discharge gas, a gas mixture of Ne (neon) and Xe (xenon) is used. The mixing ratio is Ne:Xe=9:1.
Although the PDP can achieve a wider angle of field than that of an LCD panel, the screen is darker (luminous efficiency is low) than that of a CRT (cathode-ray tube normally called a Braun tube and used as a picture tube of a commercial TV). In addition, the service life (period until the luminance becomes too low to disable use of the panel) is shorter than that of a CRT or an LCD panel.
It is an object of the present invention to allow a flat panel display apparatus using a plasma discharge to maintain a high luminous efficiency and display images with high luminance for a long time period.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat type display apparatus using a discharge plasma, comprising:
a first substrate capable of passing visible light;
a second substrate arranged to oppose the first substrate at a predetermined gap;
a discharge gas sealed between the first substrate and the second substrate;
excitation means for exciting the discharge gas to generate UV rays; and
photoconversion means for emitting predetermined visible light on the basis of the UV rays,
wherein the discharge gas is caused by the excitation means to perform excimer light emission.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat type display apparatus using a discharge plasma, comprising:
a first substrate capable of passing visible light;
a second substrate arranged to oppose the first substrate at a predetermined gap;
a discharge gas sealed between the first substrate and the second substrate;
excitation means, including a front electrode formed on a side of the first substrate opposing the second substrate, for exciting the discharge gas to generate UV rays; and
photoconversion means for emitting predetermined visible light on the basis of the UV rays,
wherein letting W be a width of the front electrode, and D be the gap between the first and second substrates,
0.5xe2x89xa6W/Dxe2x89xa62.4
is satisfied.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat type display apparatus using a discharge plasma, comprising:
a first substrate capable of passing visible light;
a second substrate arranged to oppose the first substrate at a predetermined gap;
a discharge gas sealed between the first substrate and the second substrate;
excitation means for exciting the discharge gas to generate UV rays; and
photoconversion means, arranged on the second substrate, for emitting predetermined visible light on the basis of the UV rays,
wherein a UV reflection film for reflecting the UV rays is inserted between the first substrate or second substrate and the photoconversion means.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat type display apparatus using a discharge plasma, comprising:
a first substrate capable of passing visible light;
a second substrate arranged to oppose the first substrate at a predetermined gap;
a discharge gas sealed between the first substrate and the second substrate;
excitation means, including a first electrode arranged on a side of the first substrate opposing the second substrate and a second electrode arranged on a side of the second substrate opposing the first substrate, for exciting the discharge gas to generate UV rays; and
a phosphor layer formed on the second substrate to emit predetermined visible light on the basis of the UV rays,
wherein the phosphor layer is partially removed in a region corresponding to the second electrode or has a thickness smaller in the region than that in the remaining regions.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat type display apparatus using a discharge plasma, comprising:
a first substrate capable of passing visible light;
a second substrate arranged to oppose the first substrate at a predetermined gap;
a discharge gas sealed between the first substrate and the second substrate;
excitation means, comprising a first electrode arranged on a side of the first substrate opposing the second substrate and a second electrode arranged on a side of the second substrate opposing the first substrate, for exciting the discharge gas to generate UV rays; and
photoconversion means, arranged on the second substrate, for emitting predetermined visible light on the basis of the UV rays,
wherein the first substrate comprises a protective film formed in a region corresponding to the first electrode, and a UV reflection layer formed on a region other than the region corresponding to the first electrode to reflect the UV rays.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.